Strangers From A Distant Land
by Nimrodel626
Summary: Sarah, Grace, Maggie, and Christopher find themselves in Middle-earth, where Maggie signs them up to go with the Fellowship. Great. Movieverse. Warning: Full of crazy fan girl, annoyed younger brother, and two sensible people.
1. Middle-earth?

Middle-earth?!

**Disclaimer: Middle-earth and Lord of the Rings belong to the genius that is J. R. R. Tolkien.**

* * *

The rain lashed the windshield of the minivan relentlessly, battling with the windshield wipers. Though it was day, the dreary gray light made it seem more like dusk. The driver peered through the down pore, looking for an exit from the freeway. None of this, however, bothered the younger occupants of the car. Twelve-year-old Grace fiddled with her golden braid, light blue eyes deeply immersed in "Many Meetings" the first chapter of the second book of the Fellowship of the Ring. Christopher, the seven-year-old, brushed his black bangs out of his brown eyes as he tried to beat the iPad game Flow, studiously ignoring the endless chatter in the back.

"Did you see Dwalin's face when Legolas stepped on his head? _Priceless_!" fourteen-year-old Maggie enthused to best-friend-and-practically-twin-sister Sarah.

"Yeah! And the Dragon! Smaug was just...just...WOW." Sarah agreed.

As you might guess from the topic of conversation, Grace, Maggie, and Sarah had just come from watching the Desolation of Smaug. Mrs. Rivers, Maggie and Christopher's mother, had picked them up to go to a sleepover at Maggie's. Hence the Christopher.

"Ya know, I think they could have left out the-" but Sarah never got to say what they should have left out, for just at that moment there was a lurch as Mrs. Rivers lost control of the car. It skidded across the road, then flipped over the side.

* * *

Grace POV  
Grace slowly came to, and thought that she hadn't. She was lying on a luxuriously soft mattress, under an eiderdown blanket, nothing like the thin mattresses and scratchy blankets of Childrens' Mercy. As she cautiously opened her eyes, she saw she was in a light-filled chamber, with birds singing outside the window. There was the creak of a door being opened behind her, than quiet footsteps came across the room.

"You're awake?" came a voice, even as Grace turned to see the newcomer.

"Where am I?" Grace asked. She felt like she should be afraid, but she wasn't. It was just something in the air.

"Imladris," the strange woman said, "or as the mortal's name it, Rivendell. I am Miril, and I have been tending to you since they brought you in last night."

The last sentence was lost on poor Grace as she gasped-

"Rivendell! Like the Lord of the Rings Rivendell?"

Miril's face took on a look of confusion. "What is "Lord of the Rings"?" she asked.

"It's a boo- oh, never mind," began Grace. "Could I please speak to the Lord Elrond? And...what year is it?"

"You may," Miril replied. "Indeed, I was bidden to escort you to him when you awoke. As for your second question, it is the year 3018 of the Third Age."

_'And that __would__ make no sense to anyone except Mags or Sarah. Darn.'_ Grace thought.

"Come now," continued Miril, oblivious to the thoughts going through Grace's head. "Let's get you dressed. I assume that you don't want to be wandering the corridors of Imladris wearing naught but a night dress!"

"No," agreed Grace as she got up. Miril helped her into a sky-blue dress with angle sleeves. It was fitted to the waist before it flowed out like a waterfall. Then she took her hand and led her through the maze that was Rivendell.

* * *

Maggie POV  
Maggie opened her eyes. She was in a wheat field with the Sun shining over head. Wait what?! She was supposed to be in a car. Coming back from the Desolation of Smaug premier. NOT in a vaguely familiar wheat field. Wait a moment, Mom had lost control of the car. They had flipped over the side and then, then, she couldn't remember. Oh well. It's not like it matters. Was this Heaven? She looked down at herself. She was still wearing the same blue jeans and three quarter sleeve shirt that she was wearing before the crash. No white nightgown in sight. As she was trying to figure out why, exactly, the wheat field looked familiar, two figures bumped into her. Hard. With vegetables in their arms.

"Hallo there," said one. Was that-?

"Who are you?" said the other. It couldn't be-?

"Maggie Rivers, who are you?"

"I'm Merry Brandybuck," said the second. "And this is my cousin Pippin Took."

"Could you give us a hand?" asked Pippin. "We need to get away before Farmer Maggot catches us, like he did last time."

"Of course," Maggie exclaimed, though inside she was doing the happy dance. _'I'm in Middle-earth! I'm getting into Farmer Maggot's crop with MERRY and PIPPIN! But I thought the Hobbits would be smaller. It doesn't matter! I'm in Middle-earth!'_

After about a minute of running, they burst out onto a small path, bowling over two more Hobbits as they did so. Pippin had landed atop Frodo, Merry Sam, while Maggie had tripped over the fallen vegetables.

When he spoke, Pippin sounded surprised. "Frodo! Merry, Maggie, it's Frodo Baggins. He's my first cousin once removed on his mother's side," he added for Maggie's benefit.

"Hello Frodo, I'm Maggie Rivers," Maggie introduced.

"What are you doing? What is the meaning of this?" Frodo asked as he watched Merry, Pippin, and Maggie gather up the dropped food. Merry shoved some cabbages into Sam's arms.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" said Hobbit exclaimed. "Are you mad?

At that moment Maggie heard a Hobbit shouting and dogs barking.

"He's coming! Run!" she yelled, taking off as she did so. She was quickly followed by Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and finally Sam.

"I don't know why he's so upset," panted Pippin. "It's only a couple of carrots!"

"And the cabbages!" Maggie called over her shoulders.

:And those three bags of potato's we lifted last week. And then the mushrooms the week before," Merry added.

"Yes Merry! But my point is, he's clearly over-reacting!"

The fields gave way to woods, bu that made no difference to the angry farmer. They were so busy running away, that they didn't notice they were approaching the drop-down into the road. Maggie slammed to a stop, with Frodo, Merry, and Pippin freezing behind her. Sam didn't notice and ran into them from behind. Down they tumbled, landing on the road in a big pile. It looked like a game of twister where the person on the top had fallen over, taking the rest of the players with him. When they finally untangled themselves, Merry, Pippin, and Sam rushed over to the near-by mushroom patch. Frodo stood up, staring down the road, while Maggie just sat by where she fell, moaning and complaining.

"I think I've broken something, and not just a carrot like Merry. I'm going to be bruised for a week. Why didn't I remember this? I'm-"

Frodo's voice broke through her moanings.

"Get off the road! Quick!"

"Right, Nazgul. Run!" she echoed him.

They jumped over the side of the road, and hid among the roots of a great tree. The oddest feeling washed over Maggie. She felt so cold, and so afraid, like she'd never be happy again.

_'I don't like Nazgul'_ she decided. She went absolutely still, frozen. If she moved and they were found, the quest of the Ring would be over before it even got started, and she and her friends would be trapped in a world without hope. Speaking of her friends, where were they? Completely different topic, why wasn't Merry (or was it Pippin) throwing the bag? While the Nazgul was sniffing for them, time seemed to slow down, it had felt like ten minuets while in reality it had been only one. There came a crash.

The Nazgul whirled around at the sound of the bag falling on the leaves. While it was distracted. The five of them rushed out and down the hill.

"What WAS that?" Merry panted.

'A Nazgul' was on the tip of Maggie's tongue, but she bit it back. I just wouldn't make sense for a strange girl to know what those things were. That'd be a sure-fire way to draw suspicion upon herself.

* * *

Christopher POV  
The car tumbled over the side of the road, bumping down the slope into the ravine. As it fell, Grace, Sarah, and Maggie hit their heads, but Christopher's head pillow kept him from being knocked out. So he saw It happen. The front door fell open, and Mom fell out, but the car kept going. Just before it reached the bottom, a golden glow seemed to come out of nowhere, enveloping the children in warmth. When it faded, Christopher found that he was no longer in the car, but in a wood. A soft light was about him, and the leaves of the trees were the greenest green he had ever seen. (rhyme unintentional) He had little time to admire though, and to figure out here he was. There was an arrow at his head. A tall figure stepped forward.

"Who are you?" he asked. Christopher starred at him blankly. First the car was wrecked, then he found himself in a strange wood, and arrow was set to his head, and now the man with pointy ears was speaking gibberish. It was not a good day.

"Do you speak English, sir?" he said, a little annoyed. But it was not wise to anger the person who could kill you at a moment's notice. That's when it hit him. (Not the arrow, a thought) He just said something. HE JUST SAID SOMETHING! Now, this may not seem such a bit deal to you, bu t Christopher had been dumb from birth.

"I can talk. I can talk!" he turned to pointy-eared person in front of him. "Did you hear that? I can talk!"

They starred at him like he was a lunatic. He calmed down a bit. The tall person answered him.

"You speak Westron," he observed. "Few in these lands do. But you are of the race of Men. Who are you, and how came you here?"

"Err... I'm Christopher Rivers. Mom crashed the car, there was a light, then I was here. Where is 'here', anyway?"

"You are in the Golden Wood, the realm of the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel. What is this 'car' you speak of?"

"Umm... A car?" Christopher's tone made it obvious that he thought the stranger was daft. "It's a motorized vertical with lots of horse power, capable of great speeds, but easy to crash on wet nights." The only answer that he got was a mystified look.

"Come, we shall take you to the Lord and Lady." The bow was withdrawn, and Christopher was quickly surrounded by multiple pointy-eared people and marched through the green wood.

* * *

Sarah POV  
Sarah woke up in the most awkward of positions. Her face was smushed against someone's back. As she lifted her head, she could see that whoever was carrying her was walking up a flight of old, worn steps. There was a creak, then she felt her self being lifted up. Instantly she shut her eyes, going limp and pretending to be asleep. She was laid on a bed.

"I know you are awake," came a male voice, somehow familiar. She stiffened and opened her eyes. Then she blinked. Then blinked again.

"You role-playing guys take your game way too seriously. I thought you were actually Aragorn for a moment there. Could I borrow your cell? I need to call my Mom."

'Aragorn' grabbed her shoulders. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

Sarah scrambled to a sitting position and backed against the wall.

"Whoa! No need to get so upset. You're Aragorn. I got that. I'm Sarah Hodgson. I know your name because there's only a whole book series about you, and three movies."

"Books? There are no books about me. And what are 'moov-ies'?" If anything, 'Aragorn' was more on his guard. At that moment, Nob walked in. Sarah's eyes rolled back in her head.

"Oh great, I'm in Middle-earth," was all she was able to get out before collapsing in a dead faint.

* * *

**So, what do you think? This was an idea that popped into my head a while back, and so I thought I'd post it. It will mostly be following movieverse, with a few elements of the books added in. For those who have only seen the movie, Nob was a hobbit who worked at the Prancing Pony. **

**The slightly, I guess archaic is the right word? Anyway, the bits with the Elves, I used a style more like the Silmarilian, than anything else. It seemed like the Elves. I hope that you like it. **

**Christopher's dumb-ness. I hope that I didn't offend anyone with that. I don't know anyone whose dumb, and I don't quite know how a seven-year-old would react, so I'm just using my imagination. (Vernon Dursley would disapprove)**

**So, for the next chapter, I'm stuck on what to do for the two youngests' meetings with Elrond and Galadriel. Would you mind terribly if I focused on Maggie and Sarah, and only came back to the other two when I reach Rivendell and Lorien? Also, please let me know who's POV you want more of. **

**I'll try to update about once a week.**

**May the Valar guide your pen,  
****N****imrodel**


	2. Reality Sinks In

Reality Sinks In

Grace POV

Miril reached up and knocked three times on an ornate wooden door.

"Enter," said a voice on the other side. Miril motioned for Grace to go forward. She did so.

One exhausting hour of being interrogated by Elrond later, she stumbled out of the study. Finding Miril nowhere in sight, and seeing a door to the outside, she walked towards it. Upon reaching the exit she found a garden. There was a breathtaking view of the valley, and a tinkling of water coming form the distant waterfalls.

Grace spent at least half an hour wandering around, looking at the flowers, and listening to the birds. While following a robin (he looked and behaved exactly like the robin from The Secret Garden), she came to a screen of evergreen trees. (Wow, I'm rhyming a lot lately. _Screen_ of ever_green_. Never mind...) Beyond the trees her newly enhanced hearing could catch the sound of a twanging, like when you pull a piece of yarn tight and have someone flick it with their finger. Then there came the sound of voices.

"Good one, Dan!" said voice #1.

"Thanks, Ro," replied voice #2.

Grace walked quickly along the green wall barring her way. She soon found a stone arch, and the source of the voices.

(Should I leave off there? Nah, I wouldn't be that cruel... maybe. :))

A dark-haired Elf was standing at the far end of a grassy field. At the bottom of the field, there was a small target set up. To the left, across from Grace, another Elf, identical to the first, was sitting on the ground with his back to a bench. The first one had just finished shooting an arrow into the target. He was reaching for another shaft when the Elf on the bench stopped him with a call.

"Dan! We have company." The second Elf was the owner of voice #1, not that there was much difference.

'Dan' turned toward Grace. "Ah, the mysterious Lady who fell on our hunting party."

"Quite literally, I might add," said the other. He stood up. "I am Ro, and this is my worst half, Dan."

Dan looked indigent, and hit his brother. Ro hit him back, then they laughed. Their laughter was contagious, and Grace soon found herself joining in.

"I'm Grace, daughter of Mark," she introduced, sticking out her hand.

* * *

Maggie POV

The shadows lengthened to evening. All afternoon Maggie had trudged through the wood with her four favorite characters from Lord of the Rings. While walking, Frodo, and especially Sam, had plied her with questions. Who was she? Where did she come from? How come they had never met before? Samwise Gamgee had to be the most suspicious person she had ever met. Eventually she gave out that she was a River from the Northern Downs on her way to visit her mother's sister, Mrs. Maggot. She hadn't met them before, but had _they_ met everyone in the Shire? Thankfully, that satisfied them, though Frodo kept looking at her like she was a tiger read to pounce. He was also grabbing at his breast pocket.

"Obvious much?" she had muttered. Pippin had heard her, but thought she was talking about something else, and agreed with her.

"Anything?" Sam now asked.

"Nothing." Frodo replied.

"What is going on?" groaned pippin.

Merry walked up to Frodo, and looked at him questioningly. "That Black Rider was looking for something, or someone. Frodo?"

Maggie was listening to the conversation, so was thrown off balance and onto her nose when Sam yanked her down. She looked at him indignantly, but he pointed up the hill. There was a Ringwraith crouched in its saddle. Slowly its grotesque steed carried it out of sight.

Frodo looked at the three younger hobbits, Merry Pippin, and Maggie. "I have to leave the Shire," he said. "Sam and I must get to Bree.

"Right. Buckleberry Ferry. Follow me." Merry dashed off through the trees. After a moment's hesitation, the others followed in hot pursuit.

Then everything seemed to happen in an instant. A Black Rider screamed behind them, bursting out of the bushes where they had been moments before.

"This way!" Pippin's voice was shrill with terror as he pelted for the Ferry. "Follow me!"

Sam looped the robe off the post, fumbling several times. Four of the five hobbits were on the raft as it began to float away from the bank. Frodo was running up the pier, a Nazgul hot on his tail.

"Go!" he yelled at his friends. With one last dash and an almighty leap he escaped the Rider and cleared the water, landing in an undignified heap on top of Merry and Sam.

"How far to the nearest crossing?" he asked, as soon as he had got his breath back.

" Brandywine bridge," Merry answered. "Twenty miles."

* * *

Sarah POV

Two people sat in a dark corner of the Prancing Pony. They were swathed in black or dark brown cloaks, though one looked like he? she? it? was swimming in his? her's? it's? Whoever it was, the worthies of Bree wondered how Strider had picked up a companion.

Sarah peered out over the heads of the costumers at the inn. Aragorn, once he had gotten over the whole how-do-you-know-my-secret-name-that-no-one-else-around-here-knows thing, had been quite helpful. Even though she had explained where she came from, and had told him about the Lord of the Rings, he was still tight-lipped about why they were waiting yet another night in Bree before going on to Rivendell, and she didn't confront him about it. He had bought her a long sleeve woolen dress in a dark green, as well as a pair of shoes, and she was borrowing his spare cloak.

A small party of Men got up from their table to get more beers, clearing Sarah and Aragorn's line of sight to the door. It opened, admitting a small group of five hobbits wrapped in cloaks. Sarah sighed, resigning herself to another night in Bree, when one of the hobbits caught her eye. Instead of a cloak, he had a blanket. Upon closer inspection, when said hobbit had thrown back his make-shift hood, she discovered that it was not a he but a she. A very familiar she, with tan skin and long black hair, wearing jeans and a soaked purple shirt.

"Maggie!" Sarah breathed, and jabbed Aragorn in the side with her elbow.

* * *

Christopher POV

Christopher stood nervously on a platform, with Haldir next to him, waiting for the Lord and Lady. Haldir looked down at him reassuringly, remembering when the boy had appeared out of nowhere on the northern borders of the wood.

A light descended the steps and, when it had faded, you could see the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel.

"Welcome, Christopher Rivers," Lord Celeborn greeted him. "You have come from far away."

* * *

**I am so sorry for the extra-long wait! I was a dumbbell, and left my writing notebook, with all my stories, at my library, and only got it back yesterday. So, I worked myself into a writing frenzy, and here's the over-due chapter. I won't be able to get the third chapter up until the first ****Thursday in August.**

**For those interested: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES TRAILER IS OUT! You can see it on theonering . net, its one of the first posts. As my brother said: Movie now please?**

**Thanks to my reviewers: BrownEyedGirl87, Crazy-Freaky-Anonymous-Author, DeLacus, and almexa. **

**I hope you liked this chapter, and please review!**

**Up next: Of Elves, Men, and More Elves**


	3. Lovely Nazgul And Look, MORE Nazgul

Lovely. Nazgul. And Look, MORE Nazgul

Sarah POV

Sarah jabbed Aragorn in the side with her elbow. He made no move, except to lean his head closer.

"What is it?"

"My best friend, Maggie Rivers, though last I checked, she wasn't a Hobbit."

Aragorn gave a slight nod, then continued to watch the five hobbits, especially Frodo.

Sarah grinned with amusement as Maggie tried her first sip of beer, gagged, and spit it out. Then Merry slid in next to her, setting a tall, frothy mug on the table. Her mind supplied the lines as Pippin and Merry conversed, and Pippin ran off to find his pint. Barliman seemed to stop longer at the table then originally, but then again, there were two mysterious strangers starring at the hobbits.

Pippin's voice seemed to ring through the whole room. "Baggins! Sure I know a Baggins. He's over there, Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side, and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side, if you follow me."

Aragorn sat strait up. In one swift movement he reached in his boot, pulled out a long knife, and handed it to Sarah.

"Go stand guard outside our room. Let no one in save me and those with me. Now go!"

* * *

Sarah's long legs carried her up the steps two at a time. She set her back to the door, holding her knife outward. Less than a minute later, Aragorn appeared, carrying Frodo.

"Let only the other four pass." he said, before disappearing into the room.

Sarah pressed one ear to the door while trying to look down the passageway with the opposite eye. Snippets of conversation floated through the oak panels.

"-nothing."

"Indeed. I can avoid being seen if I wish, but..." Aragorn's voice faded out for a moment. "-frightened enough," it came again. "I know what-" Sarah didn't get to hear the rest. She was jerked from the entry by a hobbit, probably Sam. He then proceeded to thrust open the door, Merry and Pippin tumbling in after him. Following g at a slower pace, and grinning at the whole scene, was Maggie.

Sarah threw back her hood. "Mags!"

"Sarah? Jimmy Cricket, it's you!" They rushed into a hug. Maggie was the first to break away. "Come on," she said, as she dragged Sarah through the door. They found Aragorn making plans with Frodo.

"-pillows under the covers," he was finishing as they walked in.

"Ara-Strider!" Sarah called as she pulled Maggie over to him.

"This is one of my lost friends, Maggie. Maggie, this is Strider. He's been looking after me since I arrived a week ago."

"Hello, Maggie," Aragorn began, but she interrupted him.

"A week?! But I've only been her since this afternoon!"

Pippins head wagged back and forth between the two friends. "Wait, best friends? Then you _aren't_ a River from the North Downs? No Hobbit's ever been friends with a Big Person."

"I should think that's sort of obvious, Pip," whispered Merry.

"Hobbit?" Sarah laughed. She had entirely forgotten Maggie's new height. "Last I looked, Maggie was small, but not _that_ small..." her voice trailed off as she really took in Maggie's feet and height. "You're a holbytla."

"Yes Sarah," Maggie sounded a bit exasperated, "as Merry said, I should think that's obvious."

"As much as I wish you two could keep talking," Aragorn broke in, "we really must take care of the beds. The nine could be hear at any time."

* * *

Moving swiftly, the Big Folk and the Little Folk moved the packs from the Hobbit's room and placed long pillows down the beds. Then Aragorn ushered them back into his and Sarah's room, where they bedded down for the night. One by one they dropped off to sleep.

* * *

Sarah was awakened by the most blood-chilling scream she had ever heard. Everyone else was sitting up, and Maggie was inching closer to her.

Said Maggie gave her a weak smile, then started humming. "DUN dun DUN dun DUN dun DUN dun, DIN dun DUN dun DUUUUUN!"

Sarah had to smile back when she heard it. The Nazgul theme from the movie. She started humming the Morgal theme back at Mags. "DUN, dun, da-da-dun, DUN, dun, da-da-dun."

"What are you doing?" inquired Sam suspiciously. He still didn't trust either of them, even though they had both explained their story.

Maggie smiled innocently. "Just humming the theme from Lord of the-" Sarah hit her, "-Things," she finished with a scowl at her friend.

Frodo turned to Aragorn. "What are they?"

"They were once Men – great kings of Men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will." He looked out the window at something the others couldn't see, then he turned back. "They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you."

With that ominous note, he turned away, leaving the others to fall asleep as best they could.

* * *

Early the next morning, Sarah was shaken into wakefulness by Aragorn.

"Sarah, wake the others. I go to procure a horse for us and a cloak for your friend."

Sarah lay still for a few minutes after he had left, reluctant to get up. Slowly she rose, then bean to sing loudly to the tune of Happy Birthday -

"Good morning to you,  
Good morning to you,  
Good morning good morning,  
Good morning to you.

It's time to get up,  
It's time to get up,  
It's time to it's time to,  
It's time to get up."

"Did you have to?" groaned Maggie, sitting up. Frodo was also awake, but the others were still softly snoring.

"Strider told me to get you guys up," Sarah rejoined, "but I don't think I did a very good job of it." She nodded at the sleeping Hobbits. "They're still in dreamland."

Frodo looked at her balefully. "I'm with Maggie," he said. "Was that song really necessary?"

"Yep!" was the answer. "Hey Mags, let's get 'em with the Water Buffalo"

Maggie gave a wicked grin, and Frodo looked apprehensive. "On the count of three. One...Two...THREE!" Together they began to sing – The Water Buffalo Song.

"Oh, everybody's got a water buffalo,  
Your's is fat but mine is slow,  
Where we get them I don't know  
But everybody's got a water buffalo-oooooo!

Took my buffalo to the store,  
Got his head stuck in the door,  
Spilled some Lima beans on the floor  
Oh everybody's got a water buffalo-oooooo!"

Pippin, Sam, and Merry sat up looking extremely confused around 'your's is fat', and Aragorn came in around "Took my buffalo to the store'.

"Wha-a-a-at is that?" yawned Pippin, when they had finished singing.

"A silly song with Larry," Sarah replied, then looked at Maggie expectantly.

"The part of the show here Larry comes out ans sings a silly song," finished she. They were stared at.

"So Aragorn," said Frodo, after an awkward pause, turning to the addressed. "What is your plan? You clearly have one."

"Follow me," he answered, throwing a cloak at Maggie.

* * *

In the space of a few hours, they had left Bree and the road far behind. Sarah was walking up close to Aragorn, drinking in everything he was telling her about woodcraft and finding your way.

Frodo's voice broke into their soft conversation. "Where are you taking us?"

"Into the wild" was the gruff reply, but Sarah could see a smile on his face, and, as he bent down to inspect some moss, he whispered to her, "The lesson in caution has been well learned."

As they continued on, Sarah could barley catch indistinct murmurings coming from the five Hobbits behind them. Aragorn, it seemed, could hear them quite clearly. Quietly he gave the gist of what he had heard.

"They do not know if they can trust the two Rangers and their odd Hobbit friend. They appear to be referring to you as 'Trotter'." He paused, then said loudly, "To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the house of Elrond."

"What does Maggie have to say about all this?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing," was the reply. "She seems to be falling behind and out of earshot."

"Oh."

They continued on in a comfortable silence for a the rest of the day.

* * *

For three days the odd group traveled through the wild. Gradually, the land became snowier, and , much to her chagrin, Maggie had to borrow one of the Hobbit's spare suites.

Whilst Maggie was generally accepted by the Hobbits now, Sarah, as she was a 'Big Person', and in league with the dangerous Strider, was left almost completely alone. Thus she was up front again with Aragorn when they realized that the others weren't following.

Sarah turned around, while Aragorn looked over his shoulder. "Gentlehobbits," he called, "we do not stop until nightfall."

Pippin looked incredulous. "What about breakfast?"

"You've already had it." Aragorn replied, nonplussed.

"We've had one, yes," Pippin answered matter-of-factly. "What about second breakfast?"

Aragorn shook is head and walked on. Sarah stayed for a moment.

"Maggie, you only eat three meals a day. Four, if you count snack."

"I have a Hobbit stomach now."

Sarah copied Aragorn's gesture and followed him into the trees. She found him picking the last few apples hanging from a gnarled branch. He hefted one, (not that there was much to heft) and tossed it over a hedge. He was about to throw the next one when Sarah stopped him.

"May I?"

When Aragorn handed it to her, she lobbed it into the air. A moment later, they heard a loud thunk and a cry of "Pippin!"

"Oops?" half said half asked Sarah.

* * *

That afternoon Sarah found out why you must always bring mosquito repellent when you decide to go adventuring in the Midgewater Marshes. She quite agreed with Merry's statement:

"What do they eat when they can't get Hobbit?"

Finally, about a week out from Bree, they broke through the edge of the Marshes. Weathertop loomed dark above them.

Aragorn looked up at it. "This was the great watchtower of Amon Sul. We shall rest here tonight."

With that, they began plodding toward the ominous hill.

* * *

**Here it is, and finally right on time. As I've been reading over it, it seemed a little rushed to me, but I _really_ don't want to go over it again. **

**Thanks to DeLacus and Crazy-Freaky-Anonymous-Author for reviewing.**

**Next chapter will probably be a Grace and Christopher chapter, but this one was meant to be a Grace one originally, so things change. **

**May the Valar guide your pen,  
Nimrodel**


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